"Keep on keeping on"

The past week I have been a very busy bee, recovering from the hard work and excitement that was Gladrags fashion show, preparing some collars to sell at Mr Kringle's Handmade and Vintage Emporium with F6.Studios, doing a PNE business course and organising a collaboration with Bad Kitty Corsets and Michael Gordon Photography for Sunday!

First things first, Gladrags was a great success, with fab goodie bags, flowing drinks, gorgeous clothes (including my collars and cuffs!) and a buzzing atmosphere. As well as the catwalks we were all waiting for, we were also treated to entertainment in-between, with live music by Faye Shearer and James Houston, performances by Newcastle University's dance society, and great banter from hosts Annelies de Jong and Christian Cargill. With sales from tickets and an amazing raffle (genuinely gutted I didn't win one!), we managed to raise a load for charity and put fashion to a great cause! In the run-up to the event, I managed to grab a mini interview for F6.Studios with a few of the organisers at http://f6studios.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/get-on-your-gladrags-at-nusu.html.

Here are some pictures of Gladrags, courtesy of The Courier Television:

Backstage modelling Melanie Kyles and Lancelot Knight

Backstage with hosts Christian and Annelies

Generous goodie bags

Gladrags Mojitos

My catwalk with Lancelot Knight

Models wearing up-cycled Swarovski collars and cuffs

Twin-tipped up-cycled collar and embellished cuffs

Some more up-cycled collars and cuffs

Close-up of up-cycled wool cuffs with satchel

The audience (full house!)

Meanwhile at Mr Kringle's on Saturday, I had a wonderfully festive time eating French crepes with Belgian chocolate and getting slightly merry from our Jamie Oliver mulled wine! Originally I was going to produce a range of collars with hand-printed silk linings. I did eventually manage to screen-print some fabric, though by the time I managed to find somewhere in town to print onto acetate, set up my screen and print, wash and dry the fabric, I had time to make only one collar!

Helen teaching me screen-print essentials at F6

First print - green fingers

Screen-printed, steamed, washed and dried silk

Luckily I had already prepared some other collars from floral cotton and leopard faux-fur (silk-lined and my personal favourite) for the event, so I put these alongside some of my degree work for the table. We also sold organic body scrub by Helen, hand-woven scarves by Lydia, hand-painted caps by Stu, leather tissue holders by Tiago and of course, mulled wine!

Mulled wine-off: Jamie Vs Deliah

Handwoven scarves by Lydia Bayly

Bespoke caps by Stu Murray-Borbjerg

Betty's Banging Body Butter by Helen Rafferty

A handful of collars

Up-cycled, hand-embroidered vintage collar

Leather tissue holders by Tiago Galvan

Christmas mess from Jamie's success

Over the next few days, I'll be sorting out the 1930's inspired collaboration between Bad Kitty Corsets, Michael Gordon Photography and myself. The shoot will be held this coming Sunday and I'm really looking forward to seeing it all come together! Anyhow more on that shortly ;)

Melanie xx